Here’s my studio mess, as I steadily create art for my 100 artworks project, which I’m dedicating to my daughter, Kayla for her college junior year in China.

I have to say this has been challenging coming up with ideas daily to keep my momentum going. Each artwork takes different amount of time, dependent upon the materials and the ideas around it. Each piece is an original piece of art created with mixed media on an 8″ x 8″ wood panel.

It has been a busy month! I haven’t had a chance to blog, since I’ve been so busy with creating a 100 Artworks for my “China For Kayla Campaign.” (Find out more here) But, no worries, I’ll be back strong as ever and with a couple of “how to” blog posts as well.

I just wanted to let you know, I’m still here, creating and reflecting. Unofficially, summer will be here in a couple of days! Time is moving by so quickly, so always remember to treasure each day and Dream Deep.

As I’ve mentioned, I am working on the 100 Artworks Challenge. This is pushing and moving me in all sorts of ways. It is also allowing me to be open to ways to continue to support and encourage my family.

Many of you know, that I am married and have two wonderful children; which are fondly known in my family as “Number 1″ and “the baby.” Well” the baby” is twenty years old and is a college sophomore. As a Mom, it’s been wonderful watching her grow and stretch her wings and a challenge to see her make her own decisions. I often marvel at her courage and her willingness to try new things! It’s what we want for our children, but are often, quivering as we watch it unfold!

Kayla Giving Yogi Goodbye Hug

My daughter, Kayla’s major is Mandarin, Chinese and this Fall, she will be off to study abroad in China for a year! Yes, that’s exciting and scary as hell for a parent! But as she and I maneuver this major change in all our lives. I’ve come up with an idea to use my art as a way to help her raise the funds she will need to sustain her while she immerses herself in Chinese.

Those of us who are parents of a college student, know how expensive a college education can be, and although my daughter will be away, we will be paying her college tuition, just the same, plus having to come up with monies for her while she’s abroad.

So, all the paintings that I am creating in the 100 Artworks Challenge will be for sale and all the monies will be used for my daughter’s school and living expenses in China.

I’ve never done anything like this before, but if my daughter is brave enough to leave the nest and fly to another part of the world to live and learn, her mother can actively campaign, create and sell art so that she can do so!

So each 8″x 8″ painting will be sold for $50.00 (shipping included), you will get to name the painting you buy, and I will supply a certificate of authenticity with the name of your choice on it and Kayla will write you a thank you note in Mandarin Chinese.

I am hoping to sell all the paintings by mid-August, because she is leaving no later than Aug.25th 2015.

This is how I make my living, creating and selling art, and I want my daughter to see how following your passion can get you where you want to be in your life. No, it’s not an easy life, but it is a life worth living, if that’s where your heart is.

In the next couple of weeks, more information will be available. I want to continue to thank all of the people who have supported me by reading my blog, checking me out on Facebook, Twitter; buying and collecting my work. Stay tuned as this empty nester strengthens her wings as she allows her little bird to fly!

From my wildly passionate creative soul to yours in peace.

(The paintings in this blog post are a part of the 100 Artworks for sale)

I’ve been quiet here on my blog over the last (10) days! As with life, we have our ups and downs. Throughout it all, art still remains a constant for me. So here’s what I’ve been twiddling my fingers with…be careful…color overload!

One of my art goals for this year is to work more freely and loosely. I know that being so detail oriented in my art is more about me trying to exercise control in all the aspects of my life. I think this need for control and perfectionism is the cause of my creative blocks (although I did manage to eek out a little creativity at times). This affected my output; which meant creating less!

I took steps this year to push myself completely out of the perfectionism zone, by creating smaller works, at a faster pace and I joined the 100 Artwork Challenge, so that I can create more, experiment and challenge myself.

This does not mean I will be sacrificing quality for quantity; but what it does mean is that I will add more joy, plan and fun to my time by letting go of the minutia! My need for control and perfectionism was so bad that I was spending days obsessing over getting every little thing, just right, so that I could move forward! It was a vicious cycle of anxiety-producing out-of –control mayhem in my head!

I often write about positive outlooks and ways to overcome the challenges of art and life. I don’t write about these things, because I think I’m so together, but rather from a place of knowing that I need this as much as anyone else.